Game or puzzle.



M. JONES.

GAME OR PUZZLE. I

APPLICATION man AUG.2, 1918.

1,289,471 Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

4min,

nnro.

MEREDITH JONES, 0F SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME 0R PUZZLE;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed August 2, 1918. Serial No. 247,941.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MEREDITH JONES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Games or Puzzles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a game or puzzle in which movable elements, representing ships, each destined for a predetermined port, are to be moved in sequence from the starting point or harbor, through either one of a plurality of predetermined intermediate ports, to their fixed destination, the object being to so move the entire series that no one of them will be blocked, or as termed in the game, submarined, before reaching its fixed destination.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view in plan of my improved game board and Fig. 2 is a view of one of the movable elements.

The board 3 which is preferably in the form of a shallow box with a cover (not shown), is provided centrally with a circular or other line 4; inclosing a space termed the war zone. Within the war zone are eight stations or ports 5 which, in the present instance, represent America Russia- Spain England Germany France Belgium and Italy. Each of the stations 5 is connected with two other stations by lanes 6, and each station but one, represents the final destination of one of the movable members 7, which final destinations may be reached through either one of the two stations connected therewith by the lanes 6, but not otherwise.

The movable members 7 which represent ships, may be blocks or disks and are preferably provided as shown with a sail like upwardly projecting finger piece 8 by which they are grasped and moved from point to point. Each movable member is provided with the name of its home station or destination, corresponding with one of the countries within the war zone, and also with the names of the two stations or ports through either of which it may enter the war zone, provided either of the said ports be open or unoccupied by the ship destined for such port. Surrounding the war zone is a circular lane 9, which opens into the war zone adjacent the starting point or harbor 10, and surrounding the lane 9, is a lane 11 having an opening adjacent the harbor l0 and an opening from each of the convoy bases 12.

The problem is to move the boats as will be hereinafter described into their proper home station or destination without being blocked, or as is termed in the game submarined, by any previously placed boat. At the start seven boats or members 7 are employed thus leaving one station or port 5 within the war zone always open. The boats are lined up in the harbor 10, and the six boats 7 to the left are moved over in sequence starting from the left, into the first convoy base 12, thus leaving one boat in the harbor. v I f As shown in the drawing, this one boat 7 remaining in the harbor is bound for France and -may reach its port through either America or Spain, the route taken being selected by the player. The boat is moved through the prescribed lanes, into position and deposited on the port marked France and when so placed, blocks the ports of America and Spain from entry through France. The next play is to move the first five boats at the first convoy base onto the second convoy base, and carry the sixth to its destination in the war zone. This sixth boat as shown; is destined for England by way of Belgium or America and as both of these ports are open it can be moved into position. The first four boats at the second convoy base are then moved in sequence to the third convoy base after which the boat due for Italy by way of Germany or Spain is moved, and as both of these ports are still open the boat can be moved to its position. The first three boats at the third convoy base are then moved in regular order to the fourth convoy base leaving the boat destined for Germany by way of Russia or Italy free to be moved and as the port of Russia is still open it can be moved into place. The first two boats at the fourth convoy base are now moved to the fifth convoy base, leaving the one due for Belgium through the ports of Russia or England and as the former is still open the boat can be placed in its position. The first of the two boats at the fifth convoy base is now moved to the sixth convoy base thus freeing the one destined for Russia through the ports of Germany or Belgium,

but as both of these ports are closed the boat is blocked or submarined thus ending the play.

By properly lacing the boats in'the harbor, they may reach its destination through an unobstructed passage.

The game may be played by one or more, and it may be varied by moving the members 7 in the reverse order from that stated above, from the harbor 10, or in the reverse order from the convoy bases, but if properly placed at the start, and the order of movement followed throughout the entire series of convoy bases, all the members 7 may be moved to their proper positions within the war zone.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A game or puzzle consisting of the representation of a zone with a plurality of stations within the zone, each station having a direct line of communication with two other stations, a series of movable members each having a particular station within the zone which may be reached through either of the 'two stations in communication therewith,

and a series of stations into which the move moved so that each can able members are moved prior to their entry into the zone.

2. A game or puzzle consisting of the representation of a zone with a plurality of stations within the zone, each station having communication with two other statiinis, a series of movable members, a starting point for the movable members and a series of stations intermediate the starting point and the stations within the zone on which the mov-' ing witnesses.

, MEREDITH JONES. Witnesses W. L. RYAN, H. P. EVANS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. G. 

